Absolute lymphocyte cell (ALC) and absolute monocyte cell (AMC) counts, as well as their ratio (LMR) proved to be prognostic factors for treatment results, as shown by a database analysis of follicular lymphoma (FL) patients.

Progressive disease and stable disease after first-line therapy, as well as the mortality rate, were significantly associated with lower ALC, higher AMC, and higher LMR, according to the report published online.

Researchers analyzed the data of 100 FL variant patients admitted and treated between January 2009 and June 2018 at a single center.

Area under the curve analysis for discriminating between survival times showed 0.57 x 109 cells/L was the most discriminative ALC cutoff value, 1.24 x 109/L was the most discriminative AMC cutoff value, and 1.63 x 109/L was the most discriminative LMR cutoff value.

Shorter overall survival (OS) was significantly associated with lower ALC, compared with those having higher ALC. Shorter OS and progression-free survival (PFS) were significantly associated with higher AMC, compared with those having lower AMC. Shorter OS and PFS were also significantly associated with lower LMR, compared with those having higher LMR.

Overall, a high-risk score in the Follicular Lymphoma International Prognostic Index (FLIPI) and having a low LMR were considered risk factors for prediction of OS in all the studied FL patients in univariate analysis and multivariate analysis, according to the researchers.

“Our results prove the effect of lymphocyte and monocyte in the tumor immune response, which gives opportunity to several therapeutic strategies that target myeloid-derived suppressor cells (MDSCs), including monocytes and their progeny and improves the T-cell function in eradication strategies,” the researchers concluded.